Just Like a Pill
by Umechaw
Summary: They were out. Out of that town. Alex and Elle. They managed to escape. But no matter where they went, the nightmares of it won't leave them that easily. Without each other, they would probably go insane. AlexElle. Rating may change in future chapters.


**Authors Note:** After completing Homecoming again (and spending at least two hours on the internet looking it all up) I find myself slightly infatuated with that of Elle and Alex.

So here is my story, past the events of Homecoming. This MAY turn into a chapter story, considering the fact that the end is far from satisfactory for a Fic.

I'm sorry if I have an OOC Alex, but this is from his point of view, and this is just how I imagine him, so sorry if you don't like it.

I'm really happy with this. Came to me at two in the morning.. like most of my stories do. D:

Reviews and Concrit muchly appreciated!

This is inspired by the other few AlexElle Fics that are out there.

And just Alex Shepherd. Because he's so damn hot. :3

Enjoy!

**Just Like a Pill**

I can't see her. It's too dark to see anything. I swear, she was here, only moments before. I had her in my arms, I could feel the warmth of her body, I was watching that smile on her face. That broken smile, but a smile nonetheless. How anyone could smile after that, I'll never know. She doesn't stop surprising me.

But where the hell is she?

Goddamn this fog. Goddamn this town. I need to go, _we_ need to go. We were leaving, I know we were leaving, I almost had her safe. Where did she _go_?

'Elle.' My voice sounded pathetic, so I tried again. I wouldn't leave without her. 'Elle, where are you?' The echoes travelled through the thick, empty streets, disappearing into the mist that smothered the town.

Stupid girl. She knows better than to run off without me unarmed, after everything. But I swear, I didn't see her move from beneath my arm. Everything feels too surreal.

My head was throbbing, the pains of my leg felt as if that drill was still hacking its way through bone. I couldn't see clearly— whether or not it was the fog, or if it was my own distorted mind, I don't know. But still I limped on, determined to find her, even though I had no goddamn idea which way I was going.

_Why did she..._?

'Alex!' I heard a scream. Too familiar. It shattered me, my blood turned to ice. My throat was parched, and my first attempt at calling her name was once more a feeble croak. 'Elle,' I shouted back to her as best I could, limping uselessly down a street, any street, following her voice. Everything looked the damn same. I felt like I hadn't moved anywhere. 'Where are you?'

My given reply was a scream without words.

'_It's a damn shame when people mistreat such... nice things.'_

No.

'_No, oh god!_'

I could hear it, slicing through the air, through her screams. The screeching of that saw.

'_Please, don't!_'

No, no, no, no.

Those doors, they won't open. They won't _fucking open_.

'_That's the price you pay._'

I can't climb, not with my leg; I don't have the strength to get over that fence. I can't reach her this time.

But that doesn't seem to matter, because I'm suddenly in the room, I'm watching his dead eyes train themselves on her body, writhing, screaming. No door to obscure my vision. Everything is bright and clear.

I can't move. I can scream, god, I can scream. But I'm not going anywhere. I'm watch that circular blade, watching him rev it like it was the most melodic sound his ears have come across, that snigger leaving his lips, like he gets off on it. She screams again.

This should be where I save her, but it can't be. It already happened. I've already saved her, I already know the truth, I've already lost Josh.

I saved Elle.

So why was that saw whirling so close to her stomach?

'_Alex..._' she whimpered helplessly.

'_It's such a damn shame...'_

I couldn't even look away. Clammy fingers were clawing my eyes open, forcing me to watch, as that blade moved through her like she was made of butter. Forcing me to feel the splatter of her blood, forcing me to hear that _noise_ choke from her mouth, which swelled with the same red.

'_Such a damn shame...'_

I screamed, so loudly it made my own ears hurt. I could feel the sweat smothering me, the hairs standing on the back of my neck as it drawled down my back; I blinked the droplets from my eyes, which flickered back and forth wildly.

_Please, don't!_

'Oh, oh god...' I whimpered, fighting my way out the bed, trying to get to a toilet as fast as I could. The vomit was racing up my throat. But I hit something as I rose to my feet, something that made me stumble to the bed, clutching my stomach, making me realise my leg was suddenly throbbing from my fast moments, and that I probably just reopened the stitches.

'Alex,' a soft voice called out to me. That voice, much like the deafening scream, sounded too familiar, it made my stomach roll sickeningly.

A hand touched my searing skin. I was on fire.

'You have to tell me she's okay,' I demanded, panicking. 'You have to tell me she's alive!'

'Who...?'

'Elle, goddamn it! Who the fuck else?!' I roared, unable to control my anger. I felt like shaking this person, I felt like smashing my fists into something.

'It's me,' she whispered. The voice was close to my ear, so soft and delicate, and suddenly a pair of arms was closed around my neck, despite the fact that my body must have burned her. 'It's Elle, Alex.'

Elle.

'E-Elle?' I stammered like an idiot, voice still choked with rage, with panic.

'Calm down,' her gentle voice hummed, her fingers suddenly tangled into my hair, raking through it soothingly.

She was... _alive_?

'Oh my god.'

I wrapped my arms around her waist, burying my face into her gut, but at that moment I don't think either of us cared for the invasion of space. I groped at her clothes fiercely.

'Shhh... It's okay, I'm okay, Alex.'

'I-I thought you...' My throat hardened, it started to hurt as I held back the sobs, and I managed to keep them at bay, somehow. 'I swear... I saw you... I saw him...'

She was staring at me in confusion, waiting for me to go on, but I couldn't. I would have snapped.

It was hard for me to believe she was alive, that I was touching her, that I could smell her clothes and her skin, that her eyes were piercing mine for answers I couldn't give without breaking. 'Elle,' I whispered, swirling my thumb along her sides. Her mouth twitched into something I couldn't understand, but it caught my attention, nonetheless. The curve of her lips was more than mesmerising.

'You need to get some sleep, Alex...'

I felt the panic of her leaving my side, and held my breath to subdue the lump in my throat. No, no sleep. Sleep is the last thing I want.

'I'll be right here on the other bed, just across the room.' Too far. Don't go. The images weren't bearable yet, not even with the knowledge that I was holding her, that I was once again in her warmth, that she was trying to wear that broken smile again. 'You need me, and you just call.'

'No,' I had grasped her wrist faster than I could think. 'Stay, please, don't go,' I pleaded like a little child.

'Alex, I'm right...'

'Elle,' I choked, so completely delusional and hopeless. 'Please don't leave me.' I needed her so much.

Before I could stop myself I had my rough hands on her cheeks, and I was dragging her down to my mouth. Hers was open, from shock, and my lips closed over hers in a kiss that started out far too heavily then it should have. It was the second time I had kissed Elle in my life, and the second time she had been kissed, ever.

Elle was completely still, frozen. I kept myself latched on for as long as I could, drinking the smoothness of her bottom lip, remembering it. Expecting a rather large red mark across my face by the time this was over.

I didn't realise how strong my hands were on her face, but it took a shove to my shoulders before I realised it was her second attempt at escaping my hold and I let her go immediately.

To my surprise, there was no slap; there was no cursed word. Only heavy, thick breathing. Panting.

'Elle,' I murmured to her, gazing up at her bruised mouth. That wonderful mouth. Her eyes left that daze and focussed on me, and I only saw question in those piercing eyes. I could always read her eyes— no anger, no hurt, not this time. Curiousness. And something else I had never seen in Elle's eyes before. Something no one had ever seen. 'I'm sorry.' I honestly was. I felt disgusted for stealing that from her, just because I needed to satisfy myself, prove to myself she was there and she wasn't just another nightmare walking away from me, walking straight back into his hold again to be hurt. 'I shouldn't have done that.' It had felt great, though. Kissing Elle was like kissing a girl you only saw in your dreams— the nice ones. Usually, you were able to watch her, but you couldn't touch her.

Elle nodded, and moved back to hold me again.

We stayed like that for a long moment, until I finally forced that vomit down and my churning stomach settled. My ragged breaths relaxed. I lifted my head from her slim waist, blinking back the tears that still fought their way from my heavy eyelids.

This one couldn't be a dream.

'Are you okay now?'

'I thought you had died.' I muffled into her smaller shoulder weakly.

'I know,' she murmured, holding onto me tighter. Telling me to shut up without words. So I did.

Her hand brushed the damp hairs away from my face.

'You really scared me,' she said, with the tiniest of smiles.

I scared myself.

I nodded, staying silent.

'You want to talk about it?'

'No.'

I want to forget it.

She nodded knowingly.

It wasn't fair; I shouldn't be the one having this nightmare. I should be the one comforting _her_.

And I shouldn't be doing this to her. She was suffering, too. She needs the sleep, she needs at least a few hours to forget about the horrors she faced.

But I'm selfish like that, and I wanted her close.

'Elle, don't go back to the other bed.' Elle gave a long pause, suddenly nervous under my weary gaze. I must have looked like a drugged up idiot, I was so out of it. 'Just stay with me. Here.' I murmured, 'that's...that's all I'm asking.'

Elle bit her lip, and nodded slowly, allowing me to pull her down onto the bed, which dipped with the extra weight.

'I'm sorry,' I mumbled, looking at the tired lines under her eyes, at the state of her body. Elle shook her head and touched my face again, coaxing me without words. She was good at that.

Elle tugged me back onto the hotel bed, the sheets soft and blissfully clean, unlike the rest of me. Which was absolutely feral.

I fell into the pillow, my heart still pounding, which was only growing calmer every moment I registered the simple facts that yes, Elle was alive. Yes, we had escaped that town. And yes, I had just desperately kissed her, and she hadn't slapped me.

Elle curled up on the other side of the bed, and I felt sorry for her. I stunk like a bitch, but then again, so did she.

It was my idea to go to bed without a shower, after all. Idiot me.

She tossed to face me, throwing the sheets over her hips, still relishing in the cool air that flowed from the air-conditioning system. Such a treat.

She kept her respectable distance, which I didn't want. At all. I wanted her close, as close as she could be without... well... her thinking I was a dirty pervert.

I wouldn't have kissed her again that night even if she wanted me to. I wouldn't use her.

'Elle,' I murmured, and she blinked at me expectantly. I motioned my hand to her, knowing that if I worded it the way I had in my mind, I'd most likely be kneed somewhere unpleasant. Elle nodded and clambered closer, and slowly, with an annoying gap still between us, she reached out for my shoulder, and timidly crumpled her fingers through the material of my shirt.

This was okay. Being like this and being friends— best friends— was okay. I would do the same for her.

But she probably wouldn't have kissed me.

I sighed with what I suppose would be considered contentment, but I was far from at ease. I kept reminding myself, however, about how lucky I am to have Elle, who ignored my stench and curled up onto a bed that was not made for two people, and had to deal with my childish nightmares. She had to understand, on some level. She must be dreading her nightmares.

Elle smelt bad, but beneath that, I caught the scent of her hair, which smelt like some form of cherry shampoo. I inhaled it softly. I wanted her closer. I just want _Elle_. My rough hands did their best to remain gentle, I brushed a lock of golden hair behind her ear, and she blinked at me tiredly.

'Alex.'

'Mm?'

'You stink.'

I chuckled lowly, and dragged her closer, before she could object, and buried my face into the top of her hair, enveloping her in a large hug.

As much as I wanted to thank her, to smile for her, kiss her again, I couldn't. I was already drifting into sleep, guided by that cherry scent.

Though, 'You stink more...'

I can imagine her sticking her tongue out at me at that point.

'Go to sleep, Alex...'

I did gladly, and reminded myself that Elle couldn't die, or be dead, because I was currently holding her, and I could feel her breath roll down my cheek.

**A/N:** I hope you liked it! Remember I wrote this at 2 am, so there is bound to be spelling mistakes. Like usual. I tried to check them all, but I fail like that.

Anyways,

Vrinn.


End file.
